Newtown doctors unite after 12/14

Robert Miller

Updated 10:50 pm, Thursday, March 14, 2013

Photo: Lisa Weir

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A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. The steering Committee of the group from left are Dr James Bruno, Dr. Chuck herrick, Dr. Raul Arguello, Dr. Robert Bazuro, Dr. Gregory Dworkin and Dr. Bill Begg. Dr. Begg answers a question posed to the group by the audience. The meeting took place at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thurs. March 14, 2013. less

A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. The steering Committee of the group from left are Dr James Bruno, Dr. Chuck herrick, Dr. Raul Arguello, Dr. Robert Bazuro, Dr. Gregory ... more

Photo: Lisa Weir

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A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. One of the members of the steering Committee, Dr James Bruno, spoke at a meeting that was held at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thurs. March 14, 2013. less

A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. One of the members of the steering Committee, Dr James Bruno, spoke at a meeting that was held at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thurs. ... more

Photo: Lisa Weir

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A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. First Selectwoman Pat Llodra spoke at a meeting that was held at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thurs. March 14, 2013.

A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. First Selectwoman Pat Llodra spoke at a meeting that was held at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thurs. March 14, 2013.

Photo: Lisa Weir

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A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. A meeting was held at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thurs. March 14, 2013.

A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. A meeting was held at Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thurs. March 14, 2013.

Photo: Lisa Weir

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A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. One of the members of the steering Committee, Dr Robert Bazuro, spoke at a meeting that was held at the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thurs. March 14, 2013. less

A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. One of the members of the steering Committee, Dr Robert Bazuro, spoke at a meeting that was held at the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on ... more

Photo: Lisa Weir

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A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. One of the members of the steering Committee, Dr. Bill Begg, spoke at a meeting that was held at the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thurs. March 14, 2013. less

A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. One of the members of the steering Committee, Dr. Bill Begg, spoke at a meeting that was held at the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on ... more

Photo: Lisa Weir

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A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. Dr. Steven Tenenbaum shares his thoughts at the meeting held at the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thurs. March 14, 2013.

A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. Dr. Steven Tenenbaum shares his thoughts at the meeting held at the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thurs. March 14, 2013.

Photo: Lisa Weir

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A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. One of the members of the steering Committee, Dr. Chuck Herrick answers a question at a meeting that was held at the Edmond Town Hall in Newtown on Thurs. March 14, 2013. less

A group of doctors have united to form the United Physicians of Newtown. One of the members of the steering Committee, Dr. Chuck Herrick answers a question at a meeting that was held at the Edmond Town Hall in ... more

Photo: Lisa Weir

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Newtown doctors unite after 12/14

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NEWTOWN -- More than 100 doctors used the three-month anniversary of the Sandy Hook shootings to demand serious medical research into gun use, mental health and the American culture of violence.

Calling themselves United Physicians of Newtown, the doctors, who either live or work in Newtown, held their second public meeting Thursday at Edmond Town Hall.

"We're involved in dermatology, radiology, podiatry, dentistry, pathology," said Dr. James Bruno, a urologist who practices in Danbury said at the meeting. "We are doctors. We have a unique voice."

At Thursday's meeting, the group released a position paper that called for greater access of mental health care and stronger gun-safety laws, including a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity clips for civilians, and for a study into the culture of violence in the United States.

Bruno said that just as 25 years ago people changed American attitudes toward tobacco and car safety, they must begin to change societal norms that now glorify guns and violence.

"Maybe we can't do anything immediately," he said. "But maybe we can in 25 years."

The group stressed that in all these fields, there needs to be much more fact-based research. Currently, the doctors said, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been prevented by congressional regulations from studying gun violence in the United States.

United Physicians of Newtown -- whose website is unitedphysiciansofnewtown.org -- came into being, in part, because of the direct involvement of doctors in the events of Dec. 14, when 20-year-old Adam Lanza walked into the Sandy Hook Elementary School and murdered 26 people -- six educators and 20 students.

Before leaving for the school, Lanza had killed his mother Nancy Lanza, using the guns she owned.

Bruno's daughter is a student at the school. Waiting on Dec. 14 to find out whether she was alive -- she was -- was, in Bruno's words, "the worst hour of my life."

Once he knew she was safe, Bruno said, "my surgeon instincts took over for my dad instincts."

He realized quickly, however, that there was nothing for him to do in wake of Lanza's rampage.

Begg was on duty at Danbury Hospital's emergency department on the morning of the shooting. The staff there expected a flood of shooting patients. That never happened, because almost no children survived the shooting long enough to be taken to the hospital.

"We were at the opposite ends of this," Begg said.

After about a month of dealing with the emotional shock of the shootings, Bruno began to try and organize the doctors in Newtown, believing if they spoke with one voice, it would be a powerful one.

More than 75 doctors came to a preliminary meeting, in January.

"It was across the broad spectrum of practice," Begg said. "We were pleasantly surprised."

At Thursday's meeting, the group laid out its plans for the future.

The group has 107 members. Group leaders urged them to begin letter-writing campaigns to support the United Physicians' stand.

But Bruno said he has many friends who are doctors who live and work outside Newtown. He said that the group may evolve into a larger organization -- United Physicians for Newtown -- to further its goals.

But Bruno said that, at present, the group has no plans to raise money.